


As Long as You Want

by Kinari



Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Celebrity, Chloe is mentioned but she is not shown, F/F, Max is 25 in this AU and Rachel is 26, Slow Burn, This is the celebrity AU that i think maybe no one thought i was gonna write, a lot of characters are mentioned from the game but they dont have a big impact, mature content later on
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-08-14
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:21:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25303720
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kinari/pseuds/Kinari
Summary: Max is a small time photographer, it has always been her dream to be in that field. Unfortunately, moving to LA hasn't proven much for her moving up in the photography world, but it doesn't bother her. She works at a local coffee shop across from her studio, it what makes most of her money, and she was content with it for the past two years, until someone interesting fell into her life.Rachel is known by everyone just by her looks, even if you don't know her name. So it surprised her when some unknown barista didn't seem to recognized her at all, and treated her like the human she is. So intrigued by Max, she decides to invite her as a photographer for a shoot of hers, and then keeps her around because, she isn't like the others.
Relationships: Rachel Amber/Maxine "Max" Caulfield
Comments: 18
Kudos: 68





	1. Chapter 1

“Looks like it’s going to be storming a while.” She said, looking up and through the cafe’s windows. The rain was coming down hard, pelting the window with large water droplets. She sighed, knowing that now it will take even longer for her to get back to her apartment tonight, “Are you sure I can’t get off early?” She asked, looking over at her manager, who just chuckled and shook her head.

“Sorry Max,” she began, pointing at the clock, “even if it has been slow, you’re closing tonight.” As soon as she said it, Max just groaned. She hated skating back in the rain, she regretted not driving to work tonight but, she can’t dwell on that for too much longer she assumes, “Yeah I know, it’ll just be me in…” she watches as the clock’s hands advanced time and she looked back at her manager, “now. Have a safe drive home boss.”

“Don’t set the cafe on fire, you know my wife will kill me.” She said, chuckling as she loosened her tie and took off her name tag, “No promises!” Max replied with, going through the motions of cleaning the machines behind the counter like she usually does when she has nothing else to do.

…

She was truly alone now, sitting in one of the booths in the back, tea in hand. Max sat down the book she was reading, looking up and through the window once more, watching the rain come down. It was softly hitting everything outside, the ways the rain collided with the red bricks that stood proudly on the exterior of the cafe filled her with calm as she took sips of her tea. Max vaguely recalls her time in college, smiling into her cup as she recalls her friends and their times together. She feels so old, despite only just reaching twenty-five.

She was just about to finish the fourth chapter of her book, when she heard the bell ding for the front door, and she stood up quickly. Max quickly bookmarked her place, setting her tea back down and headed over to the counter, “Ah! Sorry about that, we usually don’t get anyone when its…” She stopped suddenly, able to finally get a look at the person who walked in. She was very pretty, long blonde hair that was up in a ponytail, Max only got a glance, but she noticed the hazel hue for her eyes, ‘ _Focus Max! Just get her damn order.’_

“What can I get you?” Max asked, adjusting her apron because ten seconds earlier she had hastily thrown it back over her. She watched as the person before her scanned the menu board before looking back at her, “This is my first time, what do you recommend?”

“Oh! Well I’m not really a coffee drinker, I prefer tea, but…” She looked behind and up at the board herself, scanning the familiar names of drinks and prices before turning back, “You can never go wrong with a vanilla latte.”

“I’ll have that then.” She responded with, but the way she said it made Max have butterflies in her stomach, she shrugged off the feeling and grabbed a cup from the pile on the counter, “What’s the name?”

“Rachel. How much is the total?”

“Alright, Rachel, that’ll be three thirty-four.” She said, just as she finished writing the name on the cup, setting it down to grab the cash that was handed her. Max thanked her and got to work on her drink.

It didn’t take long to make and sure enough she was done, setting the cup down on the other end of the counter, “Latte for Rachel.” Max said, smiling as she heard the woman, Rachel, laugh a little before grabbing her drink, “You really aren’t busy huh?”

“Nope. Busier when it’s not raining this hard,” Max said, vaguely shrugging towards the windows, “and I’m closing tonight so it will be long.”

“Oh? Want to sit and talk then? If you’re allowed to, don’t want you to get fired.” She said, gripping the cup with both of her hands, as if trying to get the warmth from the cup. Max nodded, already untying her apron once again, “I’m a bit awkward, just warning you now.”

“What if I like awkward?” Rachel quipped, drinking a sip of her coffee and humming an approval before sliding into the booth where Max’s book and tea sat. She just stood for a second, her brain trying to catch up with what was just thrown at her. ‘ _Is…Is she? No, I need to stop reading into this.’_ Max sat across in the booth, reaching for her tea and looking back at Rachel, “Well, what brings you here?”

“Me? I just wanted a coffee, what about you?” Rachel asked, brow raised. Max laughed a little, “Unfortunately I work here, so, I’m here all the time.” That made Rachel laugh loudly, just a little and it made Max swell with pride, happy to hear her dumb comment made this pretty woman laugh. She took a long tip of her tea, setting the cup back down and cupped it with both of her hands, she wasn’t used to usually having company while in the shop during the slow days.

“Where you from? You don’t seem like the LA type.” Rachel said, her tone was genuine, and Max just shrugged at that, “Small town in Oregon, though I grew up in Seattle. You?”

“Long beach. Been a Cali girl, though every now and then I do travel outside the state.” She replied, looking out the window briefly before her gaze coming back over to Max, and she felt too seen in this moment. She wasn’t sure what it was, Rachel being a beautiful girl that’s trying to have a conversation with her, or the fact that the whole time she’s noticed how the woman across from her has been sneaking looks. Either way, Max was enjoying this to the fullest, it felt nice.

“Do you live near here? The shop is a bit awkward to drive to if you don’t live in the nearby neighborhood.” Max said, looking over at Rachel curiously, not wanting to pry but also wanted to hear her response. She watched as Rachel took time to respond, taking sips of her coffee before saying, “I live…near enough. Why do you ask? Trying to get my number?”

“I! What! I, I mean…if you would want mine?” Max felt awkward now, she feels the heat radiating off her cheeks, she knows her face is a dark red. She tries not to revert to her shy, quiet awkward self that she was back in high school but, whenever someone catches her off guard her defenses get thrown off and the cracks peak through, “The…the name is Max by the way, I didn’t say it earlier and I-“

“Yes.”

“What?” Max was taken aback with the simple answer, before grabbing her phone, and goes through her wallet quickly, and takes out a well-worn business card, “Here! Uh, I also do photography so if you ever need someone, I need the job anyway.”

“You’re a photographer? Why work here?” Rachel asked, gently taking Max’s unlocked phone and inputting her number into it. She grabbed her phone from her jacket and did the same, letting Max put in her personal number into her contacts, “I uh, I don’t get many clients. People rather go to the more, mainstream people with cameras I guess.”

“You sound like a hipster, but I like that.” Rachel said, looking at Max once more, putting her own phone away before checking the time on it, “Shit. I need to get going, this has been fun.” Max watched her quietly as she gathered her things, adjusting her jacket and slinging her bag over her once more, “I would love to see your work, let me know when something comes up, Max.”

“Oh! I uh, yeah! Of course, have a good night Rachel.” Max struggled to get that sentence out, and almost fell trying to get out of the booth seat to open the door for her. Rachel laughed at her then, trying to stifle it and covered her mouth with her hand, but Max picked up on it and she felt herself getting warm at the sound, even her laugh was pretty.

Eventually, the store was empty once more. Max watched through the window as Rachel crossed the street, the rain finally calmed down to a drizzle and she sighed, she wasn’t sure if she should text now or just wait. Either way, she was excited that a woman like that took interest in _her_.

…

Days passed and Rachel left bad for not texting that cute barista at that coffee shop. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to talk to her but rather, as soon as she left that day work just started to pile onto her. It was all so much, overwhelmed her but she just kept on a calm facade, and smiled through the stress. She knew eventually would come a time where she would crash and burn, she hopes that day never arrives for her.

Rachel sat on the couch as she scrolled through her phone, glad that today she was finally able to not be harassed with thousand of things to do, being famous _for_ something she enjoys doing is great, but it gets tiring after a while. Her lines for the upcoming movie she’s in are now engraved in her mind, she was quite excited for it. She has worked in a lot of film and TV since getting into the mainstream when she was twenty, but by far her current work would possibly be her favorite.

“Rachel,” someone began to say, sitting across from her, “I know it is your day to relax but- “

“Let me guess, something came up.” Rachel said plainly, sighing dramatically as she laid down on the sofa, throwing her phone onto the table, “What is it now, Tom?”

“Well,” he began, pulling up his work tablet and showing off one of the many emails that was addressed to her work, “we wanted to get some photos of your character for the film but, Victoria is the photographer they wanted to- “

“Find someone else, you know I don’t like working with her.” She cut him off and meant it for a good reason, she disliked Victoria Chase, they went to school together and she knows how badly that girl _still_ has it for her, “Well that’s the thing, “ Tom began to explain, “the producers insist that no one else is capable. Unless…”

“Unless what Tom? Spit it out, use your words.” She looked at him now, sitting back up on the couch and crossing her legs, arms laying on her knees.

“You mentioned that ‘cute’ barista the other day that does photography, what about her?” Tom asked, pulling out the worn business card from the holder he has and looked it over once more, “I checked out her work, that kind of retro feel is what we need for the shoot.”

Rachel didn’t know what to say to that, she felt bad for just not talking to that girl, and now suddenly just asking her professionally to just arrive? She knew it would be a good idea, would look great on her part and help Max with being noticed by more mainstream media. She too checked out her photography account on her Instagram, it was beautiful, “Do it.” She said simply, smirking a little, “Get in contact with her and set up a time, unless you want me to?”

“No, this is professional Rachel, I’ll let you know what she says.” He got up then, nodding as he turned and walked off, and out of her home.

As the door closed, she laid back down on the couch, grabbing her phone and sighed, no text or missed calls. Sometimes being famous is lonely, she gets that now, but she wishes she kept some things in her life, even though they were toxic for her. ‘ _Fuck it, I’m going to text her.’_ She went to her contacts and just hovered at Max’s name, and she was suddenly feeling nervous. Her air of confidence fell as she stared at the contact name, unsure of now what to say, she hated this feeling but couldn’t help but enjoy this feeling.

“She’s just some hipster girl that works at a coffee shop, how hard can texting her be?” She said to herself and began typing out her message. It was short and simple, but that’s not always a bad thing. She hovered over the send button for a second or two, before quickly hitting it and pressing the power button on her phone. She was thrilled, afraid, and happy all at the same time. Her stomach felt queasy, yet she was far from it.

Seconds later her phone went off, twice, and she peered over. She smiled at the pop ups and opened her message app, staring at the texts.

 **You:** Hey Max, how’s work?

 **Max:** Oh my god! Hey, didn’t think you would message me actually haha

 **Max:** Work has been slow :/ the usuals haven’t showed up because apparently are beans aren’t “”organic”” enough for them whatever the fuck that means

Rachel laughed at the messages, smiling stupidly as she read them over. Max texted like how she spoke, or so it seemed, and it made her smile all over again, quickly texting back.

 **You:** Sorry! Work for me has been busy for me lol

 **You:** Aren’t coffee beans already organic? What do they think you guys use, brown cardboard?

 **Max:** Fuck. You found out our trade secret Rachel! No one is suppose to know that! :P

Rachel fucking _laughed_ at the use of the emoji then, she wasn’t sure why, but it made her laugh hard. She had a strong feeling that her and Max are going to get along great, because if their first convo is going along like this? Max might just quickly become one of the few people she could have close in her life.

…

Max was having the best day hands down, the _whole_ time as she was closing, Rachel was texting her. She was surprised at the out of the blue text, but it made her shitty day ten times better, perhaps now her favorite day because of this. She was talking to a _pretty_ girl and wasn’t moping about the girl she had broken up and gotten back with multiple times throughout high school _and_ college, blue haired punks are overrated now, for her at least.

She finally stepped outside, flipping the sign to close and locked the front door, making sure it was secured before setting down her skateboard. She tucked in her shirt, making sure to pocket her phone, and hopped on. She pushed for a moment and skated easily down the street; her place wasn’t too far from her work. She let the breeze and evening time sounds soothe her as she skated the familiar route. Hands in pockets and hair flowing softly, she felt peace for the first time in a while, her mind cleared of worry. She turned her body, feeling her board connect with her and veered right, before turning the board sideways, braking and popped up the board then, grabbing it by the nose. The ride was never that long, but it felt nice to her, nonetheless.

Max reached up to her apartment then, grabbing her keys and unlocked her door, sighing as she sat her board in the usual spot next to the entrance. She grabbed her phone and saw many notifications, two of them being inquiries from her work email.

It took her a moment to register what she was reading, but she jumped in the air excitedly as she read through it. _“To whom it may concern,”_ it began with, Max read this as she quickly went to sit on the couch, tucking her legs underneath her. The email was long, but she read through it and then stopped, brow raised at the end,” The _model for the photo shoot will be Rachel Amber…”_ She replied to it after reading through it all, sending them her times and availability, also her apartment’s address. She lived in a large studio, so her workspace was also her living room, and kitchen. It was awkward but worked.

“Rachel Amber…Why does that sound familiar?” She said to herself, scratching her head for a moment before looking at her messages and seeing that Rachel replied, “Maybe I am thinking _way_ into this but…”

 **You:** Hey! Weird question, but I never got your last name! So, hi! I’m Max Caulfield. :)

 **Rachel:** Well isn’t this awkward, but I guess I can let you know this secret information, since you asked nicely.

 **Rachel:** Amber. I’m Rachel Amber, the pleasure is all mine.

“Oh fuck!” Max said loudly, almost slamming her phone onto the couch’s armrest, “Not _that_ Amber! Great I. I almost tripped in front of…of a very famous person and I asked for _her_ number…Oh my god.” Max was so not sure how to handle this, but maybe she shouldn’t say anything at all? People can have the same first _and_ last names, right? …Right?


	2. Chapter 2

Max was in full blown panic mode right now, and Rachel isn’t helping at all. She kept going through, racking through her mind trying to see what is going to happen as the date for the photoshoot arrives closer. She sat on her couch, leg thumping up and down nervously as she looked at her phone, waiting for Rachel to respond back to her.

 **You:** Hey!!! I got a job for my photography gig! :D Would you wanna come by?

 **You:** Don’t sweat it if you can’t, totally not having a gun to your head about it or anything :P

Max sat with those messages as she read them over once more, for the fifth time within the span of thirty seconds, she hopes she isn’t being too forward. Rachel seems to type to like that but, she hopes this isn’t too much.

“Maybe I should…” She hovered over the delete message button, but noticed it went from ‘Sent’ to ‘Read’ and she just panicked screamed, dropping her phone. Max wasn’t sure why she did that but scrambled to pick it back up and saw that Rachel replied.

 **Rachel:** Of course! What time and when?

 **Rachel:** Any idea what the theme is?

Max sighed, calming herself a little before smiling,” I’m _such an idiot, why am I overreacting we’re just friends.”_ Maybe she found Rachel cute, and maybe she wants to take her out for a date, but she doesn’t want to ruin the friendship they are making together. She shook her head and looked down at Rachel’s replies, and sent a message back before shutting off her phone, heading to work for the afternoon shift.

 **You:** No idea what theme but its this Saturday at noon? So come by then! Here’s my address

…

“Your lovely laughing,” she said, a small laugh softly rumbled from her, she felt the vibration throughout as she looked into the girl’s eyes, “oh it puts the heart in my chest on wings.” She watched as the girl in front of her gasped lightly, a blush appearing over her face as she shook her head.

“You’re just saying things, to make me defenseless.” The smaller woman said, gripping the sliver sword in her hand tightly, but she knew there was no malice intent in the action and she just smirked, one fang shown and gleamed brightly, “When I look at you? Even within this briefest of moments my dear, no speaking is left within me.”

As soon as those words left her mouth her ears perked up to the sound of metal clattering to the ground, making contact with the cobblestone floor of the crumbling castle, “Stop it, I.” She began, but the woman across from her just shook her head, tears forming at the corner of her eyes, “Kavina, you don’t mean that.”

“Yvonne, you wound me,” she began, her eyes cutting through Yvonne’s angry gaze, “you and I are much more then this.” Kavina took a step forward then, her shoes making the loudest sound to cut the tension in the room. Yvonne didn’t take a step back or even made a sound, her eyes just following her as she kept walking towards her slowly. Eventually, Kavina put her right hand on the woman’s shoulder, nails lightly scrapping across the metal shoulder piece, “Kavina. I,” Yvonne began, taking off her helmet and throwing it to the ground, revealing her messy red hair, “Tell me you mean it. You mean this and I, I’ll leave them all. Just tell me this once.”

“Darling,” she said softly, her eyes a dull red as she smiled, “I mean all of it.” Then she got close to her, forehead touch barely there and she heard the soft laughter and the feeling of cold metal touching her face, Yvonne’s gauntlet was a comfort.

“Kiss me then and let us leave.”

“Cut! End scene, great jobs guys!” The director shouted, clapping as she did. Rachel smiled, relaxing her shoulders. She took a step back from her costar and smiled, “Now we can take all this stuff off of us.” Rachel said, smiling as she nodded, laughing a little as she saw her costar went ahead and started to unbuckle the costume armor she was wearing, “Same to you! I’m sure those fangs are annoying.” She commented, walking off from set and Rachel followed, shrugging as she did.

“They’re ok, you get use to them after a while. Sarah I’m sure that armor is heavy though.”

“Rachel, if you have a moment.” Someone said to her, and she looked over and saw Tom, her manager. She told Sarah a goodbye and walked over to him, hand on hip as she eyed him up and down, “What is it?”

“Don’t forget about the shoot Saturday, though I am sure Ms. Caulfield and you have already discussed about it.”

“Actually,” Rachel began, walking off to her trailer, ready to have her costume and make up removed so she could head home finally, “I don’t think she knows I am…you know, me.”

“Oh? Well that is interesting, she’ll know soon enough I suppose, and then after this I assume you are going to stop contact.” He said it in such a matter of fact tone that it made Rachel briefly irritated, her shoulders tensing before she let out a slow breath, calming herself before looking at him, brows scrunched, “No. I like talking to her, I want to have at least one friend that’s normal.” She said it and he just nodded, knowing not to argue with her at this point, “Fine.” He began with, opening her trailer door and the stylist was there already, ready to help her out of her costume, “But the second things go south…”

“It won’t, I have a good feeling about her, let me do my thing and you do yours.”

“Of course Rachel, whatever you say.”

…

 **You:** Heya Maxie!! I’ll be by your place in a bit for that gig of yours ;)

 **Maxie:** …Maxie? Where did that come from?

Rachel laughed to herself, holding her phone to her chest before shaking her head. She finds it more entertaining to just…not explain to Max, or even give her some sort of reasoning at all quite really. She was ready for this shoot but wasn’t sure how the awkward cute hipster of hers was handling this.

“Do you think Max is panicked?”

“I don’t know Rachel, she’s _your_ friend.” Tom said plainly, staring up from his phone briefly before looking back down, she assumes he is going through more work emails as usual. Rachel chuckled at that, her hand over her mouth as she calmed herself before looking out the car window again, watching the passing scenery as they reached more near to Max’s apartment, she wonders what she is doing right now and Rachel sends a quick text because she is just a curious creature, and she has a feeling she knows the answer.

 **You:** Is the client there yet? I’m sure you’re excited about doing this shoot :)

 **Maxie:** Oh god Rachel you have *no* idea!!! I’m so nervous, idk if they’re going to show up at all

 _‘Maybe I should say something to her…Nah, this is more fun.’_ Rachel turned off her phone then, setting it back into her lap as she enjoyed the rest of the car ride, it was long from where she lives but, luckily the LA traffic was nice to them, which is very unusual.

It took them another five or so minutes and then they arrived at the address Max had given her. The building looked old and that was putting it lightly, but the brick was filled to the brim with murals and graffiti, as if it was put there intentionally. Rachel looks at all the different colors and styles and decides that this makes sense for Max to live in a place quite like this.

“Very different from what we’re use to, huh Tom?”

“You could…say that.” He said, pushing up his glasses as he told the driver to pull around. It didn’t take long at all really but once they parked, she was able to get out with no problem and sent Max a quick text informing her that she was in route to getting to her apartment door. Rachel briefly looked back down at her phone to see like five emojis in one message and she laughed hard at that, this girl was something else.

As soon as she reached the apartment door, her palms felt sweaty, why was she so nervous? This isn’t her last photoshoot and certainly isn’t the first, but it, _this_ , all feels different and she couldn’t figure out why. Rachel knocked on the door, already hearing the soft tones of what she believes to be music from inside the apartment. There was some shuffling, a loud thump and a groan before finally, the door was opened.

“Oh! Hey Rachel! Come in, come in!” Max ushered her in, and then stopped, looking confused at Tom for a moment before inviting him in as well, “I’m glad you came! The person hasn’t shown up yet and…Rachel why are you laughing right now?”

“Have you not figured it out yet? Max it is pretty obvious.” Rachel said but Max just looked at her with a cute clueless face that she laughed again, but her smile never left as she spoke once more, “Haven’t you seen any movies lately? Or even TV? Max, you do know my name, right?”

“Well,” she began, rubbing the back of her neck before giggling nervously, “people can have the same name, but I guess it is reaching for someone to have the same first and last name.” Max felt awkward, more then she usual is that’s for sure. When she looked back towards Rachel, and the man standing near her who looked all none to impressed she just laughed a little, smiling before shaking her head.

“Anyway, I’ll deal with that crisis another day,” she began with, ushering Rachel over to her set up. She heard a small laugh from Rachel and Max smiled, “we have a shoot to complete! Anything I should know?”

…

The photo shoot went well, Max was proud of herself, but she couldn’t help but feel as if this one felt…intimate? She wasn’t sure where that feeling was coming from but how Rachel was looking at her as she was behind the camera, her smile through the viewfinder wasn’t helping, it felt…different from her usual work. It didn’t take long for her to clean up the props and lights she needed, her friend kept insisting to help but she just shooed her off, telling her she got this on her own. _‘If I see Rachel carrying something of mine, I might just stumble into my couch.’_

Tom had felt all but five minutes ago, giving her the green light on some photos and some opinions on what color corrections she should do. Max sat and listened but couldn’t help but feel pissed at some man telling her how she should do her job, luckily Rachel was next to her otherwise she might have said something sour, to put it lightly.

“I don’t think your manager likes me Rach,” Max began with, her eyes glued to her computer screen as she sifted through the photos, picking and writing down what she wanted to edit and mess with, “he seemed all but very happy to leave my apartment.”

“Trust me, Tom wasn’t happy I was staying here. He doesn’t seem to like a lot of things.” Rachel said plainly, as she sat across from Max on the sofa, laying comfortably across and scrolling through her phone, “What were you like in high school Maxie?”

“Why do you ask?” Max asked, looking up from the screen briefly to look at Rachel with her brows raised, “I was the nerdy hipster that was in everyone’s business.”

“I’m sure you were pretty then too, I’m sure the girls had to have fallen for your _nerdy_ charms Maxie.” She said, smiling as she pulled herself up on the couch, looking back at Max for a response. To which, Max just sat in her computer chair with a stupid big blush across her freckled face, laughing a little nervously and shrugging, “There was this one girl…but we were off and on until I was in college.”

“Oh? Do Tell Maxie, and don’t leave out any juicy details.” Rachel seemed fully invested in this conversation now, to which Max felt unsure of how she should go on with this, should she just spill the whole thing? About how for years this awkward, annoying yet charming blue haired punk was in her heart for years? The countless fights and break ups, the words of second chance that fell on death ears?

Max wasn’t sure what to say and she just shrugged, “We fought a lot, we were good as friends, but I guess, we were both just desperate for someone in that sense. Sometimes she and I still talk, but it has gotten less and less over the years.”

“What’s her name? Sorry you had to go through that, sounded rough.” She sounded concerned, but Max swore she heard a hint of anger in that sentence but maybe she was thinking too much into it.

“Her name is Chloe, she is…something. Last I heard from her, she’s some mechanic in a town not far out from Seattle.” Max shrugged then, taking one last look at the photos on her screen and hit save, making sure the progress she had up to this point wasn’t going to be erased before she got up from the chair. She stretched a bit, her limbs cracking. She ran her hand through her hair, feeling a pair of trained eyes following her movements for a bit. She looked over and caught Rachel staring at her, _right_ at her. She felt butterflies, and nausea, but maybe that was the butterflies, “Unfortunately Chloe told me right before I moved here that she didn’t want me in her life anymore, guess I fucked up badly for the last time. No one wants me around.”

“Max, shut up. You’re trapped, you aren’t going anywhere so long as I can help it.” Rachel snapped with, hopping up off the couch and walked right over to Max, looking at her before smiling softly, “I like having you around, so stay.”

“I. Rach, that’s. Wow, yea of course I’ll stay. We’re friends, remember?”

“Good! Just making sure hipster. Want to come to a beach party with me next Saturday?”

“A…party? I’m just some nameless hipster, why would I…?”

“You’re a cute nameless hipster Maxie, it’ll be fine. I’ll make sure to stay by your side.”

God Rachel’s smile was so bright and welcoming, Max looked into her eyes and was no malicious intent in them, no cruel intentions behind the words and Max nodded, smiling as she looked back at her friend, “Then yea, I’ll come with you.”


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Max spent most of her shift getting teased by her boss for non-stop texting Rachel, though she knows that the older woman just wants the best for her. She kept shrugging it all off, telling Monica that they are only friends and had to keep reassuring that more than once to her, though Max is quite positive that her manager doesn’t believe her one bit.

So what if Max has a crush on her? She is only human, and Rachel has been the first girl in three years that has taken an interest in her, or at least she hopes she has taken an interest in her. Maybe she’s reading too much into it, but their text conversations almost never end, with them complaining about day to day life and Rachel letting Max complain about work, and yet still hasn’t explained why she is calling her Maxie. She sighed at the thought, shaking her head as she picked up her phone once more, checking her notifications before going back to tinkering on her old instant film camera.

“One day. Maybe, I’ll tell her.” Max said to herself, closing examining the spring that has popped out of position in the guts of the camera, “Or not. That could, I think that would be great as well.” Maybe she is just a bit nervous to even dare confess to Rachel, and it doesn’t help that she is famous. She felt so stupid for it not hitting her that the woman she met in the shop was _famous_ , or even how it is Rachel Amber, one of the hottest upcoming actresses of this year. She knows Rachel had a kick out of it the whole time, she hates it that she still brings it up and she laughs just as hard as she did the first time.

She finally got the spring back in place and just in time, she heard her notification sound go off and her eyes quickly snapped to the lit-up screen, three messages all from Rachel and she couldn’t help but not smile at them.

 **Rach:** Are you up? You probably are since you never sleep

 **Rach:** Seriously how do you survive off four hours of sleep Maxie? I get ten and I still feel like I’m dragging my corpse

 **Rach:** Anyway. Call me though. It is, I. It’s urgent

Max sat there, staring at the phone for a moment. She sat her tools down, getting up from her thrift store computer chair and stretched, hearing ungodly loud cracks from her joints. She grabbed her phone and just went straight to calling Rachel, she figured it be better than responding to the messages anyway. She counted the rings and was surprise that Rachel picked up on the first one, made her feel important.

“Hey.” Rachel said plainly to her in the phone. Max couldn’t help but twirl a piece of her hair between her fingers as she walked over to her bed, sitting down on it.

“Hey to you too,” Max responded with, softly laughing, “can’t sleep?”

“You could say that, I’m actually too nervous to sleep.” Rachel replied with, and Max laid down then, making sure she wasn’t moving around too much and causing her bed to squeak, “You? Nervous? Didn’t know you did that.” She really didn’t mean for it to come out like that but as soon as she said it, Rachel let out a laugh, a loud one and she even heard a sniffle through it all. Max loves how her laughter rings through her ears so beautifully, who said someone this beautiful can have such a pretty laugh as well.

“What are you nervous about though Rachel? Is it about the party? I can just- “

“Max.”

She shut up right then, she felt the shift in tone, and it made her stomach flip in a way that wasn’t uncomfortable, “Never mind, forget what I was saying but. What is it?”

“Probably stupid, shouldn’t even say it really but. Are we friends?”

“Are we not?” Max said, she felt…unsure all the sudden, caught off guard by the question, are they? They have been talking ever since they met in the shop about a month or so ago, and things have gotten, more complicated feelings wise on Max’s end, maybe Rachel is also…’ _No, that’s stupid. I’m not good enough for her.’_

“No, that’s not. Maxie, I can’t talk about what I want to right now, maybe I’ll have the courage later.”

“Rach, what do you- “

“Have a good night, see you tomorrow at the beach.”

And then she hung up, just like that, and Max was left on her bed more confused than ever now. She wasn’t sure how to take that, or even the whole conversation in general really, she thought it was going to go well like their other phone calls but this one felt…sour. Maybe sleep is what they both need, and maybe Rachel will bring this up again once more to her, hopefully.

…

“Rachel, who is the camera nerd?” Daniel whispered to her, and Rachel just huffed, she was really not having it with him today at all, “That’s Max. She’s my gi-…My friend.”

“Oh your “friend”, huh? Just like that other hipster from where again?”

“Daniel, shut the hell up before I drown you in the ocean.” She hurled that at him without much thought and watched as he flinched, looking just a bit scared at her words, before nodding and walking away from her spot on the beach. She looked around then, searching for Max, because she told her before they arrived that she would keep an eye out for her.

Rachel looked and spotted Max, she was sitting on the towel she brought herself and was messing with something on that old instant film camera of hers, and she couldn’t help but smile and steal a look at her while she wasn’t paying attention. She noticed that Max put her hair up finally, it was in a messy ponytail and saw small strands of hair that fell in front of her face, and her washed out Local Natives t-shirt fit her too well. She was about to look away when Max looked up and caught her staring and smiled. She pushed the free strands behind her ear and did a small smile once more before waving Rachel over.

She didn’t need to be told twice and got up, her free hand reaching to brush up against her undercut, she got it redone the day before and Max did not shut up about it for two hours, it made her feel warm and nice inside.

“Hey Rach! Come look at the shots I have gotten.” Max said excitedly, shuffling a little on the towel for Rachel to sit next to her.

“Oh? Any photos of me?”

“If you look, maybe. You’re not the only medium I take photos of Rach.” Max said as if it was a fact and laughed quietly, before handing Rachel the small stack of Polaroids she has collected so far today. Rachel started to go through them and smiled without realizing it, her favorite one had to be the slightly blurry one of her staring out at the ocean.

She felt Max place her hand over her own and she looked up, “Keep it,” Max said softly, her freckles looked even more defined in the late afternoon sun, “I think it be better in your hands.” Rachel felt her face get warm and she realized for the first time, she was caught off guard. _She_ was the one to be made speechless and flustered. Maybe it was the small touch between the two of them, or even their shoulders touching as the sun warmed their backs, the waves crashing softly.

Max looked down, just for a second, and she knew where they landed to stare, her lips. Did she want to kiss her? Hell, Rachel knows she wants to kiss her, but what if she is reading the signals wrong, what if-

“Hey! Rachel! Come over here, Sarah is trying to throw Daniel into the ocean again.”

Both in an instant jumped away from one another, the photo dropped on the towel then and Rachel looked back over at Max, and she looked…she saw guilt and embarrassment in that face before it flashed into a fake smile.

“Go, those are your friends Rach.” She said, already grabbing the photos that fell and handing the Polaroid with Rachel in it to her, “I need to head back soon anyway.”

“Are you sure Maxie? I like having you here.”

“I. Yea Rachel, it’ll be fine don’t worry. Text you later, ok?”

…

Max wasn’t awake enough for this, but her phone just would not stop ringing, it was annoying. She groaned and rolled over to check the time on her alarm clock near her bed, and when she saw that it is currently two in the morning, she just let out a loud groan and looked back at her phone. She picked it up then, answering on the last ring and the first thing her ears picked up on was sniffling on the other end.

“Maxie?”

Max realized it was Rachel, and she sounds like she has been crying for a while now, or at least recently. She feels like such an asshole for debating about answering or not, “Yeah Rachel? I’m right here.”

“God, I feel stupid, maybe I shouldn’t be calling you,” Rachel said, Max felt the pause in her tone and she waited for the woman on the other end to get her thoughts together, “but. I, I need to know. There’s something between us, right? Like, I’m not going crazy here.”

“I. Rachel, do you want there to be?” Max said quietly, her voice raspier than usual because she just woke up. She softly bit on her thumb to calm herself as she heard movement from Rachel’s end before she heard, “Yes. Fuck, Maxie I want there to be. I know we’re friends right now but would you…”

“Would I what?”

“Would you, maybe in the future, go out. With me, on a date?”

“Yes. Rach, of course I would. I like you too, but let us just see where things take us, ok?”

Max sat up from her bed, no longer feeling tired like she was just minutes ago, God damn she felt so wired now. She knows Rachel doesn’t act like this, shy and all nervous. She is the one that is supposed to be the shy one, the one that is nervous at asking out Rachel _fucking_ Amber, not Rachel being the shy one.

“Of course, I just. Don’t want to fuck things up, like I always do.” Rachel said, and Max heard a small sniffle and a loud sigh, “Stay on the line? I’m going to try to sleep.”

“Anything Rachel, I’ll set my phone near my pillow. I’m not a heavy sleeper so if you need me, don’t hesitant.”

She heard a noise in agreement on Rachel’s end and gently moved back into her bed, laying down and setting her phone next to her pillow like she said. She closed her eyes and couldn’t believe this was happening, she thought after Chloe she wouldn’t be able to recover from that heartache, from that emotional roller coaster. She always felt like it was her fault that Chloe left, leaving her alone in this studio apartment three years ago, that maybe she wasn’t good enough.

Max shook her head at her own thoughts, focusing on the soft breathing that is from Rachel. She needs to stop thinking about the past, even if her and Chloe don’t talk, she knows that she wasn’t the one who didn’t break their promises, and step over lines set so nothing bad would happen. She closed her eyes once more and drifted off to sleep.

For the first time in three years, she managed to get more then four hours of sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this is kind of all over the place?? I am setting up stuff for the next chapters lol, also its 3am rn so

_Max watched in awe as Rachel scooted closer to her, she felt the room and the space between them get more…not friendly and she felt excited. She was shaking for sure, and maybe Rachel noticed it, either way she felt the light breath that escaped from Rachel’s lips._

_“Do you believe in soulmates Max?” Rachel asked, and Max felt as she glided her hand up her back, touching her shoulder, and then keeping it placed on the back of her neck. She felt like she was in high school again, her nerves on fire and her brain couldn’t process her words like she wanted to. She thought she got pass acting like this with girls, especially with pretty girls._

_“What if I said I don’t? That you and I just met…on accident.”_

_“Sounds like soulmates to me Maxie.” She said back, her grin growing even bigger and her eyes looked like they were glittering at this point. And then it began to happen, Rachel pressed her forehead close to Max’s and ‘Oh god is she really- ‘_

Max’s alarm went off suddenly and she jolted awake, ready to beat that alarm clock half to death. She rolled from bed and groaned loudly, putting her head in her hands, “This is the fourth fucking time, I hate this.” Max said to herself, taking her hands off her head then and hitting the button on the clock to turn off that awful beeping noise. She looked out her studio’s window then, watching as the Californian sun rose from the horizon, and she took a deep breath.

It’s mid-October now and she could feel the difference, even if LA never gets below maybe mid-sixties during the day, she was glad that at least there was a difference between seasons in the southern part of the state. Max walked through her apartment, picking up her work clothes from yesterday and tossing them in the hamper near the bathroom door, checking to grab her phone and plug it in, seeing that she has already a text from Rachel. It makes her smile and she grabs her clean clothes that she laid out on the counter and headed to the shower. Max briefly let herself think back to the conversation they had weeks prior in her home, on the very couch she is staring at as she opened the bathroom door.

_“Filming is really ramping up now” Rachel started with as she rested her head gently on Max’s lap, “who knows when I’ll be able to come visit you at your place.”_

_“Let me come to you then silly.” Max said back, looking down to meet Rachel’s eyes and showed a gentle grin, “Unless you don’t want to see my crappy Ford Pinto parked in front of your house, then I understand.” She watched as Rachel laughed, holding her chest as she kept going, it was music to Max’s ears. She watched and laughed softly along with her as Rachel began to quiet down and lifted her arm to let her hand gently comb through Max’s hair._

_“First my number and now my house address, aren’t you being bold Maxie.” She said softly, her arm coming back down, and Max grasped it gently, letting their fingers intertwine, “I have my moments Rach, sometimes I’m not the clumsy hipster girl.”_

_…_

She watched quietly as the woman across from her was fidgeting with her worn out camera bag, it was quite cute and endearing in a way. She really does have it bad for this girl, and knowing that she also feels the same way? It made her feel things that were too soft and calm.

“Hey Maxie?” Rachel asked, waited for Max to look up at her and she showed a small grin in response and Rachel couldn’t help but smile back in earnest, “Was there…any other girl before that Chloe woman?”

As soon as those words left her mouth, she watched Max tense very visibly, maybe she’s pushing it but ever since her friend mentioned it to her once she couldn’t stop thinking about it. She watched as Max opened and shut her mouth at least five times before just shrugging, “Ok this sounds nuts but, no. There was this, uh guy? That liked me in high school, but nothing came out of that.” She said plainly, gripping the strap to her camera bag, Rachel has noted over the times they have spoken in front of one another, that whenever Max does that, she is find the conversation to be out of her comfort zone.

“Are you…into men? I know we never spoken about it but,” Rachel began with, getting up from her spot at the couch across from Max and decided to sit closer to her, placing a hand on her knee, “if you want? We can.”

“I. Hmm, honestly? No idea. Right now men just, don’t interest me? I guess. Right now anyone but a man is on my dating list.” She said it so confidently that she even nodded a little to her own statement, smiling before running her own hand through her hair. Rachel laughed at that, Max makes it so easy to be open and laugh at her cute things. Like how she must stammer and stutter to figure out what to say, Rachel found it so _fucking_ cute.

“Just making sure so I can tell other dudes to fuck off cause well,” She said as she looked Max up and down and smirked widely, “you’re with me.”

“Oh am I now?”

Rachel looked over at her then, felt the challenge that was laced in those words and how can she deny Max this? Her hand moved from Max’s knee to her thigh and she let her free hand come up and gently grasp her chin, “Is that a challenge Ms. Caulfield?”

“What are you going to do about it?” Max quipped back with, the girl’s hands no longer fidgeting with that bag of hers, one was on Rachel’s leg and the other was touching her neck. Neither seemed to realize the tension between them shifted, this gesture just blurring the line more between them of just friends and something…more, more then what they could both possibly fathom.

Rachel shifted then, moving forward and urging Max to lay on the couch, and she let her. Max _let_ Rachel move her and she wasn’t sure how to deal with that right now, her brain can’t possibly figure it out right now, she felt so focused, so determined to prove Max otherwise, to win this unspoken challenge between them. She saw the softness in Max’s eyes as she looked up at her, her arms now wrapped around gently around Rachel’s neck.

“Ms. Amber we need to discuss- Oh good lord not again.”

Rachel let out a frustrated groan and leaned her head down into the crook of Max’s neck, mumbling a small _‘What great fucking timing.’_ She felt the vibrations from Max’s laughter, and it calmed her down in mere seconds and sighed once more, but still didn’t want to move.

“Can this wait Tom? It’s my day off for fucks sake.”

“Oh I can see that Rachel,” he said plainly, clearing his throat and adjusting his tie before just raising one of his brows, “but I’m afraid this can’t wait.”

“Ugh fine, give me a second then.” Rachel said, watching him leave her living room and stand awkwardly near the front door. She couldn’t believe she didn’t hear him open the door, or even the jangle of his keys either.

“Hey,” Max said softly, her hand touched Rachel’s face gently, “we can talk about this later. Go deal with your thing, ok?”

“Why do you always say the right things Maxie?” Rachel said and slowly got up from Max then, to which she heard the girl in question laugh softly, “Not my fault you actually listen to me Rach.”

…

“This little friendship if that’s what you want to call it has to end Rachel.”

“What the hell are you talking about Tom? Max hasn’t done anything wrong.”

“No but look,” he threw his tablet at her, “they got photos of you two at _her_ apartment.”

“And? Just because some fucking dudes who get off taking photos of people shouldn’t dictate who I am with.” Rachel said then, her anger was flaring up and fast. She hated that she knew how easy it is for her to get so pissed so quickly, but it is one of her flaws.

Tom sighed, and pinched the bridge of his nose, “I don’t _want_ you guys to not be friends, you can see whoever you want to see Rachel. But,” he began with, and his face did shown genuine concern, “you can deal with this sort of press, _she_ can’t. Either tell her how or…just think about it.”

“You know Tom, I don’t _need_ to think about it.”

“Rachel, you’re on set in ten.” A random stagehand said as they entered her trailer. Rachel looked over and nodded, before waiting to hear the door shut and shoot a glaring look at Tom, “I have to go. I got to go shoot this movie. I don’t know if you have heard of it.”

“Rachel, please think about what I said ok?” He asked, already getting up and opening the door to let Rachel walk out first. She let out a couple deep breaths, letting herself calm her nerves a bit and then looked back at Tom. He isn’t a bad guy, maybe sometimes he can push her buttons, but maybe he does have a little bit of a point. As much as she hate to agree with him right now, “Ok,” she started with, letting out another deep breath, “I’ll tell her and let her tell me how she wants to proceed.”

…

Max looked at her phone in visible confusion as she locked the front door of the café. Chloe was calling her, and she was confused and surprised that she still had her number. Max was hesitant to pick up but as it reached the third ring, she picked up, “Hey Chloe, what’s up?”

“Max. Are you dating this Amber chick?”

“Hello to you too Chloe, I’m doing fine thanks for asking.” She said back in a sarcastic tone, she huffed a little and picked up her board, deciding to now just walk back to her place instead of cruising back, “You don’t call or text me for what, two years? And now you do?”

“Listen Maxine. Max, I am going to say this once and then I’ll fuck off, just listen ok?” Chloe asked and for once in a long time, she heard what sounded like no bite in those words. Max was a little shocked, but she just shook her head, ‘ _Like I haven’t heard that line before.’_ She sighed, and was sure it picked up on the phone before looking up at the sky for a moment, “What is it?”

“I miss you. Listen I know I fucked up, and you don’t have to even take up on this but, let’s start over? Learn to be friends again maybe?”

“Chloe…” Max said, because she wasn’t sure or how to say what she wanted to say really, that she was tired of getting roped back into her, she found herself a good spot finally in her life. She stopped in front of her building and leaned against the worn brick structure, “Our last fight…I don’t know if we can. You fucked up, and so did I. In a way, and now we live with that fuck up.”

She heard a heavy sigh over the phone, and she was expecting the sounds of broken glass, a scream, hell even a loud curse to ring through. But instead? Sounded like the emotions of a woman who has realized her mistakes, “Thanks Max, I. You were too good for me, if you want to talk. Just, text. Ok?”

“I’ll think about it Chloe, take care of yourself.”

…

 **Rach:** So…we have a problem

 **You:** Oh???? What is that exactly?

 **Rach:** Some paparazzi bitches snapped photos of me leaving your place

 **Rach:** And idk who or how, but I don’t want them to get to you

 **Rach:** Right now they’re speculating that you’re my new girlfriend and betting on how long it’ll last

 **You:** I also have a problem, if you could call it that lol

 **You:** Chloe called me and sounded like she wanted to try again.

As soon as the text message went from sent to read, Max’s phone rang and she kind of expected it, “She did what?” Rachel said over the phone, anger clearly in her voice and it made Max smile fondly. She kind of liked hearing angry Rachel, “Good evening to you too Rach, I’m doing great how about you?”

“Max. What the fuck, wasn’t she like…”

“Shitty? I walked in on her with someone else, in the studio that is in _my_ name?” Max said and laughed a little when she heard Rachel groan at that, “I still flinch when…anyway. I declined the offer I…” _Have someone else. I have you, I want you. I want you to be my-_

“You have me, I am so much better.” Rachel said in a matter of fact way that Max split into a wide grin and softly chuckled, “You could say that, but what about this paparazzi? That’s nuts.”

“Tom is afraid that they’ll get to you.”

“Aww he cares about me, but I think I’ll be fine. I have you Rachel, actually…”

“Uh oh, here we go with another Maxie idea.” Rachel laughed over the other end, but her words didn’t mean much, or were meant to be taken in any way but it made Max laugh along with her before shaking her head, “Come back over, I have an idea. And Rachel?”

…

“And Rachel?” Max asked, and Rachel’s heart literally skipped as the tone sounded so much more different then what she was used to with her over the phone, “Anything Maxie, shoot.”

“Let’s go on that- “

“I like you.” Rachel said with no hesitation, she totally wasn’t shaking a little as she stood in place in her bedroom, “I like you too, but come over soon ok? I’ll tell you then.”

It has been three hours since that phone call with Max, and Rachel couldn’t get it out of her mind, maybe she has been looking way too much into this, and she fucking _had_ to rush out that she likes her, she felt so stupid for doing it to. She cut her off! But Max didn’t seem to mind.

Rachel went to bed that night with a big smile on her face, hugging her body pillow tightly as she started to drift off to sleep, and she dreamt of Max, and it just made her slumber that more worth it.


End file.
